Millions are now crafting their own AI companions, yet most lack understanding of how these creations will behave. MIT Media Lab’s Assistant Professor Pat Pataranutaporn and graduate students Anthony Baez and Sheer Karny have introduced “neural transparency,” a tool allowing users to see inside an AI’s neural network before interaction. This research is being presented…
Friends and colleagues remember Walter M. Cabot, a longtime leader of Harvard Management Co., as both an endowment pioneer and a man of rare modesty and grace. Known for his achievements in developing the world’s largest university endowment, Cabot fostered a family-like atmosphere at Harvard Management Company (HMC), contrasting with the competitive nature of most…
In Los Angeles, soccer enthusiasts gathered at a bar on July 1 to watch the World Cup match between the U.S. and Bosnia. The Harvard Kennedy School is exploring how sports fandom might help address social divisions. Two researchers, Professor Todd Rogers and doctoral student Audrey Feldman, are leading a project to study this phenomenon,…
A ketogenic diet, characterized by high fat and low carbohydrate intake, may aid weight loss by prompting the body to use fat as its primary energy source. Researchers have been investigating its impacts on various health aspects, including cancer. Although prior studies indicated potential protection against colon cancer, new findings from MIT suggest an increased…
Neurons exhibit varying electrical activity during repeated tasks, even with consistent outcomes. Recent research suggests that these fluctuations can be attributed to local electric fields affecting neurons, a process known as “ephaptic coupling.” Published in Cerebral Cortex, the study supports the idea that electric fields in the brain serve as significant control signals for brain…
Concrete ranks as the most commonly used building material globally but is a major contributor to carbon emissions. A potential method to lessen its environmental impact involves 3D printing concrete, layering it like a massive icing dispenser. This technique avoids the need for labor-intensive molds and applies material solely where required. However, many computer-generated efficient…
In today’s fast-paced content world, the essence of learning is in students’ thinking, application, and evolving understanding. Recent discussions have centered on AI tools like the now-defunct Einstein, which could complete coursework for students, sparking debates on academic integrity. However, the real issue lies in what AI represents: a new form of technology that can…
The student was focused on learning accounting, not critiquing my course design. Yet, during a Zoom call in fall 2025, he paused to discuss my Canvas homepage, admiring how the buttons functioned and interconnected. He even took screenshots and shared them with a past professor at another university to demonstrate what a course could look…
In the competitive landscape of scholarly research publishing, the influence of publications often determines a program’s success. This year, three journals published by MIT Press have achieved the highest impact factors in their fields. Computational Linguistics secured the top spot in the Linguistics category, International Security led in International Relations, and The Review of Economics…
Artificial intelligence systems aimed at improving business forecasting, planning, and decision-making have surged recently. However, these systems often lack detailed organizational information, limiting their effectiveness. Devavrat Shah, a principal investigator at MIT’s Laboratory for Information and Decision Systems, is working on designing methods for second-by-second decision-making with limited computing resources. “In a sense, with a…
